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2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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tamir83
New User
Jan 15, 2015, 10:50 PM
Post #1 of 8
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2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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Hi Everyone,
i own a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan and if i'm not disconnecting my battery than i need a jump. there is a short and i noticed that every time it happens my wipers were working. I tried to replace the wipers fuse but that's not it. the short is for sure related to my wipers.
any idea what could be the problem? what is causing my battery to die?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 15, 2015, 11:39 PM
Post #2 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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Replacing the fuse was not the idea. The drain seems from that circuit is likely the problem. To add to problems, constant jump starting can really harm a battery such that it may drain inside itself even intermittently OR with low voltage a relay stays stuck ON.
Check for parasitic drain with DVOM and nothing on. That's done by defeating any hood light, interior lights and pulling fuses to at least narrow down which circuit thought to be wipers but might not, just that they trigger the problem somehow and the hunt for exactly where goes from there.
Do you know how to test for a parasitic drain that way or should I/we explain?
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 16, 2015, 3:11 AM
Post #3 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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Here are the detailed instructions
There is a procedure for finding a battery draw like that.
You will need a digital ammeter and a jumper wire with clips on the ends to do this.
First rig any door switches so you can have a door open without triggering the interior lights and unplug the hood light. Remove one battery cable and attach the meter in series between the battery cable and battery post. Take the jumper wire and also attach it the same way. Leave the jumper wire on for at least 10 minutes to expire all the automatic timers. Now remove the jumper wire and read the meter. Anything over 50ma is too much draw. The way you locate this is to start removing fuses one at a time until the meter drops to normal level. This will be the circuit with something staying on. Determine what components are part of that circuit and check them individually until the problem is isolated.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 16, 2015, 5:23 AM
Post #4 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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That's perfect Hammer. OP - the hard part is really rigging/disabling interior lighting to me. Have cover off fuse panel, seat if necessary all the way back if power.
Check ahead for the hidden (sometimes) courtesy lights in glove boxes, compartments, power ports/lighters, reading lamps, hatches and so on up to rear view mirrors, sun visors and crap you might not even know it has! No joke, for all I know this thing may have a light that comes on when you open whatever for the spare tire!
T
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tamir83
New User
Jan 16, 2015, 8:45 AM
Post #5 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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T,
thx for your help.
i'm aware to the fact that it is not good for my battery that's why im disconnecting my battery every night.
Regarding the short iv'e seen in my own eyes a few times that when i went down my wipers kept working and i had a shortening noise coming from my fuse box area.
some one told me that it might be the wipers motor that causing that. is it possible?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 16, 2015, 9:29 AM
Post #6 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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? NO - Disconnecting battery IS better than letting it drain all the time. Lead/Acid automotive batteries hate being discharged unlike those for say, cell phone, devices are made to run down - all different.
Of all the dang tricks and diagrams possible IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING GOING ON GET DOWN THERE AND SEE WHAT THE FRUCK IT IS! Really. Dumb things can come from silly reasons.
My crystal ball at work here: Wiper were in use suggest it was raining or wet anyway - right? OK - then maybe water gets into some place where that noise is and messed it up?
No doubt you have delay wipers, most do unless you ordered this as an empty delivery van it's probably loaded with things.
If you can feel this thing, probably some relay or timer for wipers? Check the thing out for corrosion or if it's wet.
If nothing found at all and all dry and clean proceed with finding the circuit as spelled out in above posts. That's only the circuit not exactly what's wrong but narrows it down so you can stop looking in the wrong places,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 16, 2015, 12:37 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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Wiper power should cut off with the key.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 16, 2015, 12:53 PM
Post #8 of 8
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Re: 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan battery keeps dying
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"Should have cut off with key" -- That's why I suspect it's corroded where the noise is getting some power crossed up enabling that circuit when it would be totally off with key off,
T
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